Propolis

What is propolis? It is a resinous substance, collected by the bees from the buds of some trees (especially poplar, birch, pine, fir), used for the covering of empty spaces from the hive. Using propolis, the bees fight against bacteria and other microbes and they cover the bodies of dead predators of the beehive (they keep the hive very clean).
Propolis has a large variety of colors and odours; its composition is different (after the trees from which it was collected (not that bees prefer poplar buds); it contains flavonoids and fenolic acids, wax and fatty acids, volatile oils, pollen and traces of minerals.

Properties of propolis:
    Propolis is a natural antibiotic substance, used for this antibiotic properties even in the beehive. It has an anti-microbian action against a lot of bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., Mycobacterium tuberculosis -Koch bacillus, Helicobacter pylori, Candida albicans, Giardia lamblia, Trichomonas vaginalis, Herpes simplex Virus, Influenza Virus).
    It is also a good anti-oxidant (anti-tumor, anti-cancer), antispastic, anaesthesic; it protects against the radiations.
    It is also an excellent antiinflammatory, cicatrisant, liver protector (it protects the liver against the bad effects of the alcohol), immune and biostimulator, tonic of the capilaries and regenerator of the tissues.
    There is a remarkable fact that propolis, due of its great variety of composition, is keeping unaltered its antibiotic capacity (by contrary, the synthetic antibiotics become inefficient in time, because bacterias develop resistance against them).

Use of propolis:
For internal use:
- respiratory infections (bronchitis, tracheitis, viral infections), otitis, sinusitis, rinitis, tuberculosis
- digestive and hepatic diseases (gastritis, gastric ulcer, chronic colecistitis, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, ulcerative colitis, digestive spasms)
- intestinal parasitoses
- urinary infections, prostatitis, tumors of the bladder
- painful diabetic neuropathy
- stress, migrena
- atheroscleroses
For external use:
- mouth and pharynx infections (stomatitis, gingivitis, pharingitis, amigdalitis, dental abscesses, parodontitis, dental cavities)
- infections of the ear, nose and throat (rinitis, otitis, sinusitis, otomicosis)
- skin infections (infectious eczema, burns, wounds, varicose ulcer, fungal infections of the hair, tuberculosis of the skin, acne, furunculosis)
- oftalmological diseases (blefaritis, conjunctivitis, scleritis, wounds)
- hemorrhoids, proctitis
- prostatitis, orhitis, epididimitis
- metroanexitis, cervicitis, menopausal distrophia
- before and after radiotherapy
- arthritis, arthrosis

     Propolis has also a lot of cosmetic uses, due to its properties (antiseptic, antiacne, antiinflammatory, cicatrisant, anaesthesic, antioxidant, antidandruff, protector against ultraviolet radiations and preservant). It is used for the preparation of some sprays, shampoons, antiacneic lotions, mouth waters, tooth pastes, nutritive ointments.
     Not to be taken in case of: allergy at propolis.
     Products with propolis:
     In the present time, in the pharmacies and natural products shops we can find out a lot of products with propolis:
- propolis tincture - it is an alcoholic extract, usually containing 30% propolis; it is for internal and external use
- propolis ointment (Propoderm)
- protection cream (Melrosin-prop), massage cream (Melrosin-confort - it contains also bee venom)
- propolis suppositories (Miprosept) - they can be used also as ovules
- propolis comprimates (Proposept)
- propolis spray 10%
- honey with propolis
- the Meltonic products - they are nutritive supplements with tonic effect (general or specific on certain organs and tissues); there are 10 complex formulas, based on polyfloral honey, propolis extract, other bee products and extracts from medicinal plants (there is: respiratory tonic, renal, hepatic, gastric, cardiovascular, nervous tonic etc.)
- raw propolis, which can be used as a disinfectant and anaesthesic of the mouth cavity - the dose is 1 g 3 times a day
- nose drops with propolis (Propoheliant)
- eye drops (for eye diseases)
- antiacneic lotion (Acneol-prop)
- mouth water (Floral)
You may choose from this products the most adequate for your health problems.

     Attention! Propolis tincture is not soluble with water, so it will be taken in a teaspoonfull of honey or on a small piece of bread (letr the alcohol to evaporate and then you may take it).

     Recipe for preparing the propolis tincture in our house: put the propolis in a bottle (powdered if possible, to increase the contact surface with the alcohol), then add 70-80° aethylic alcohol, respecting the proportion of 1 part propolis to 3 parts alcohol (example: at 3 parts=30 g propolis, add 10 parts=100 g aethylic alcohol). Let it in a dry, dark place for 7-14 days.
     Then make a primary and then a second filtration, with a filter paper. The liquid has to be clair, witout particles, brown or reddich-colored. The tincture will be kept in clean bottles, dark-colored, in a dark place.
     If you put some drops of tincture on a plate and let the alcohol to evaporate, you will obtain the propolis paste, which can be mixed with other ingredients for cosmetic use.
     You may also prepare in your house an oily extract of propolis, from 10 g of propolis mixed with 200 g olive oil or 100 g butter. Melt it on a vapour bath for 10 minutes, at 50° C, mixing continuously. Then filter it and keep it in a dark and cold place.

     Clinical studies:
Propolis heals genital herpes faster than Acyclovir.
Vynograd N, Vynograd I, Sosnowski Z. A comparative multi-centre study of the efficacy of propolis, acyclovir and placebo in the treatment of genital herpes (HSV). Phytomedicine 2000; 7(1): 1-6.